The Millennial Reign of Jesus Christ and the Saints: What Will It Be Like?
I. We often get bogged down in day-to-day troubles and concerns.
II. Yet, if we saw the reality of what is ahead of us in our reign with Jesus Christ as kings and priests in the new age, our view would be very difficult, and those daily troubles would not be a drag on our daily lives.
III. We need a vision of what is coming; we need to see our brilliant future as it will really be! What we see in the world now is not worthy to be compared with what we will experience in the times on ahead.
A. Prov. 29:18. vision (Strong 2377) = chazoun, “a sight, a mental picture”; from chazah (Strong 2376), “to gaze at, to mentally perceive, to contemplate (with pleasure).”
B. Romans 8:18-23.
C. There are two sources by which we can gain insights into this coming new world:
1. The created world
2. The Holy Scriptures
a. Heb. 8:5. What was revealed in the mountain was a type of heavenly things.
b. II Chron. 3:15-16. The temple on Solomon’s day had pillars, flowers, fruit, cherubim, etc.
IV. Let us take a look at the nature of this wonderful world that is coming, and see just how beautiful it is going to be. It will literally be Eden restored to this earth.
A. Acts 3:18-24. A restoration of Eden on earth. Rev. 20:1-3. Satan will be removed form the world’s scene; he is the cause of sin and disruption and is responsible for influencing mankind throughout this entire aeon.
B. Government in the new age
1. The primary problem in today’s world is improper government, which is based upon Satan’s rulership … a hierarchy.
a. Satan is the “god of this world” (II Cor. 4:4; Eph 2:2), and is the motivator of all governments today.
b. He has been deposed by Jesus Christ in the Wilderness confrontation, but still controls events in the earth by working in and through men.
2. Because of Satan’s control over rulers, the “basest of men” rule (Dan. 4:17).
3. Today’s rulers “exercise domination” over others, and rule by fear and force (Luke 22:25-26), but the opposite is to be true if God’s people, who are to lead in lovingkindness, humility, and service to others.
4. These rulers of the world in general run roughshod over the poor, infirm, helpless, and destitute, and are so often cruel in their judgement, serving themselves first and those high on the pyramid (Jer. 5:25-31).
C. Agriculture is the heart and basis of the enemy of any civilization on the earth — from this sector most new wealth is generated– but tomorrow’s agriculture will be very different than today’s agriculture. Man is made of the dust of the earth, and he will always need “dust” [food] to sustain himself (Gen. 3:19), but there will be no agriculture in the next age as we know it today.
1. Love forms the basics of this new economy, for Jesus Christ and the saints will form the heart of it (Matt. 11:30; 22:37-39; Gal. 5:22-23).
2. Hard work, but not overwork, forms the core of a Godly society (II Thess. 3:10; Eccl. 9:10).
3. Giving is better than receiving (Acts 20:35), and serving than being served (Gal. 5:13).
4. Debt is to be forgiven (Matt. 6:12), and help is to be provided for those in genuine need (Deut. 15:6-11). This help is to be given without a requirement of repayment (Luke 6:35).
5. There will be no need for a money system at all in the next age, for money merely represents something you need and can exchange for real goods and services (Isa. 55:1). If goods and services are boundless and without charge, then why should money be needed?
6. The Land Sabbath is a type of the millennial age, the seventh year, like the weekly Sabbath is a type of the millennium as well.
a. The weekly Sabbath ism a time of no servile work, a time of joy and delight, and a time for doing God’s pleasure, not one’s own (Isa. 58:13-14).
b. The land is to rest, with no tillage, planting, or reaping, and no pruning of vineyards (Lev. 25:1-4).
c. One was to eat what grew of itself, and partake if the one’s herd’s, but there was to be no harvesting and storing away of the produce (Lev. 25:5-7).
d. Thus, the millennium will involve no tillage or pruning, none of the usual hard work to grow food, none of the sweat-provoking work experienced in today’s age, and there will be no weeds, no floods or drought or storms, and no curse on the soil any more (Gen. 3:17-19). Tillage is the worst possible practice in treating our soils, and causes more erosion, runoff, compaction, and loss of soil fertility than any other practice.
e. All debts were to be released, and debt will be unknown in the new age except the debt of love people will owe to one another (Deut. 15:1-4). Debt will be difficult to incur without a money system and when everyone is supporting his neighbor in time of need.
f. No nursery will be charged, so there will be no banks and financial institutions … no money system (Debt. 23:19; Lev. 25:35-37).
7. The Garden of Eden teaches us much of what the millennium will be like.
a. Perennial crops, not annuals (Gen. 2:8-9). Thus, tilling and replanting will be unnecessary, and we will have food and fiber-bearing tree and shrub crops, and perhaps perennial corn, wheat, barley, potatoes, and cotton. Seed companies will be gone.
b. With a “mist” watering the earth (Gen. 2:6) there will be no soil erosion, and since nutrients will be recycled locally there will be no need for fertilizers like today.
c. The basic function of people will be to tend and keep (serve) the creation (Gen. 2:15).
d. Man is to have domination over (serve) the animals and creatures (gen. 1:26-28).
e. No hybrids and genetically engineered crops will be present; those were never intend to be developed, and were not present in Eden.
D. The millennial landscape and climate
1. Great tectonic disruptions at the end of the age will level mountain ranges and expose large areas of the seabed to habitation, greatly altering atmospheric weather patterns (Rev. 16:17-20; Isa. 40:4).
2. At this time of the end the water canopy will be restored (Acts 3:21). This will cause the climate to moderate from pole to pole, so all of the earth can be inhabited. A “mist” will water the earth once again (Gen. 2:6), not pounding rainstorms and blizzards.
3. In short, the living conditions will be delightful (Isa. 35:1-7; Joel 2:21-26). No longer will sunburn, or excessive heat or cold plague men’s bodies. Sleeping outdoors without protection will be not only possible, but probably the norm.
4. Oxygen pressure of the atmosphere will be higher, and likely gravity will be reduced; dinosaurs lived at a time on the earth when gravity had to be quite a built less than today or they could not have gotten onto their feet, much less hold up long necks and tails.
5. Productivity will be remarkable (Micah 4:1-4; Amos 9:13-15).
E. Animals and other creatures in the millennium.
1. Predation will be gone, and animals will be friendly, and none will be dangerous (Gen. 2:19; Isa. 11:6-9). Pain and affliction from biting insects and animals will be a thing of the past: no mosquitos, ticks, and flies! The lion, initially a grass and plant eater (Gen. 2:30), will undergo considerable internal and external genetic changes, as will many, many creatures on earth, and revert to eating grass and plants once again (Isa. 11:7).
2. After the Flood animals and birds and fish became fearful of mankind (Gen. 9:2), showing that before that time they were not afraid.
3. Animals will most likely not be slaughtered for food in the new age, since the dietary requirements with the reinstitution of perfect fruits and other crops, as well as excellent water, air, climate, sunlight quality, and gravity will be restored to the earth (Gen. 1:29).
4. Many species of animals, birds, and fish will most surely be created at the beginning of the millennium to replace the countless species lost during 6,000 years of man’s misrule.
5. Fences to keep animals in will be gone, unless there ,might be a need to keep animals out of one’s home.
F. Food, health, and lifestyle in the coming age
1. There is every indication that people will be disease-free, and longevity unlimited in the next age. There will no longer be distress through conflict within families and with neighbors, no wars to kill young men and women and complicate and waste lives, no worry about a 8 to 5 job and making money, and no worry about wayward mates, divorce, abortion, delinquent children, and crime.
2. If someone was cursed they would live 100 years; if not cursed, why not 1,000 years (Isa. 65:17-25)? The whole scene here is one of great joy and harmony, of young and old living together in peace, of no wars or lawsuits to disrupt lives and move people form their inheritances, or of diseases and trials like today. The law and medical professions will be gone!
3. No disease will strike people because God’s law of health will be practiced by all (Ex. 15:26). The laws that lead to superb health – diet, exersice, sunlight, fresh air, a positive frame of mind, proper hygiene, and freedom from injuries – will be universally practiced, and aging facts will be eliminated. Besides, the earth’s soil and fertility will be restored, plant varieties and proper foods will be reinstated, the atmosphere will have a higher oxygen pressure, and gravity will be reduced. Pathogenic organisms that cause cancer, infections, and various diseases cannot survive when adequate oxygen and minerals are present in our body’s cells.
4. Foods will be eaten fresh rather than cooked, and they will be optimum quality for health, many foods probably coming from recreate species (Gen. 1:29; 2:9). Cooking is harmful to the nutritional quality of all foods and leads to disease.
5. No refines, adulterated, and stale food will be available; it will all be fresh and wholesome beyond belief to nourish both body and mind. Food stores and chains will be gone, since food will be available everywhere all year long right outside one’s dwelling, free for the taking whenever one is hungry, and wonderfully nutritious beyond belief!
6. Drugs will never be used or needed; pharmakia is condemned by God (Rev. 22:14-15). Thus the drug problems of today will be utterly removed, as will the pharmaceutical companies and poppy and coca field that supply them.
7. Cities as we know them will not exist. Dwellings will have lots of room between them (Isa. 5:8), so peaceful living and meditation will be easy. Waste places be rebuilt (Isa. 61:4), but not according to Babylon’s specifications, which pile people together in cities like rats in cages, without adequate room for trees, plants, and animals.
8. People and families will have secure, permanent possessions throughout this period, as typified by land owners retiring to their possessions during Jubilee Year (Lev. 25:8-10).
9. There will be no war and no military, for people will live at peace with one another, even as the Eternal’s spirit is peace (Micah 4:3; Isa. 2:2-4).
10. People will be at peace with their spirits, and not be moving to the fro across the earth in search of new jobs, to find a peaceful and better place to live, or because of famine or military deportation (Dan. 12:4).
G. Education and music
1. Families and friends will pass along the Eternal’s knowledge and culture in every locale throughout the earth, for the earth will be full of God’s knowledge as the waters cover the sea (Isa 11:9; Deut. 6:6-7). Fathers and mothers, grandparents and friends will take on the responsibilities of education that they are ordained by God to fulfill.
2. All Knowledge that God desires will be taught, not the knowledge of humanism [“man is god”] that leads to conflict and error of the present age. Thus, the public school and university system of the present age will be gone.
3. Music will be harmonious, uplifting, and full of joy to bring one closer to the Eternal’s frame of mind (James 5:13; Eph. 5:18-19; Col. 3:16). God gives no evidence that the raucous, discordant, heavy “jungle beat”, jangling music of today is acceptable to Him, not to mention the lyrics. Music has powerful effects on us, and the types produced will exemplify God’s character.
H. Entertainment in the new age
1. Competion throughout society and the natural world will be gone, so sports as we know them will be the thing of the past: no more football, hockey, soccer, and basketball played in a gladiator-type of setting, where fans watch the few physically gifted players “slug it out” while the masses watch and vicariously put themselves into the players’ places.
2. Television will totally unnecessary in an age where new will always be good and where the perfect knowledge of God will fill the earth, and accessible to all.
3. Games will be a cooperative nature, not competitive.
4. Fulfillment in serving others and in enjoying one’s work will replace the 8 to 5 type of “job” in today’s world (Eccl. 2:24). In a real sense, one’s work will comprise one’s entertainment.
I. Transportation in the millennium
1. Cars and the aircraft that travel at breakneck speeds, beyond the rhythm of the creation, and which are inherently dangerous will be replaced by walking and running, and possibly some novel forms of transport for traveling long distances in short times. The accent on love vibrant, abundant living (John 10:10) dose not corroborate with impatience inherent in high speed travel.
2. Roads and runaways for vehicles and airplanes consume incredible areas in today’s world, and need not exist once autos, trucks, and planes are gone. Beautiful and safe roadways for foot and animal traffic will be a lovely change.
J. Science and technology
1. Only the type of science and technology that adds to a Godly life, and to building peace, strong families, and helpful living will present in the next age. Technology, in whatever forms it emerges, will aid labor and love to our neighbors, not replace them
2. Bodies were meant to be used, not to waste away with luxury and disuse, not were they to be overused like slave labor, but muscled and minds were meant to be exercised regularly and moderation (I Tim. 4:11; Philip. 4:5).
V. We have an incredibly beautiful, healthful, and productive world to look forward to, green and lush from pole to pole, and with joy, peace, and love as we cannot imagine. This discussion has touched only on some of the high points of the nature of this rapidly approaching new age; ,such more could be said.
VI. We cannot perhaps easily view in our mind’s eye all of the things that will be coming, but we can ask God for that revelation, and He will give it to us.
VII. “But as it is written, Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither has entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for them that love him. But God has revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God” (I Col. 2:9-10).